ABSTRACT
As exercise and sport participation by child and adolescent athletes continues to grow, the need for understanding energy requirements, caloric needs, as well as optimal body composition becomes vital to the performance and well-being of the athlete. Energy needs are expected to increase as activity level and intensity of the activity increase. Nonetheless, certain athletic groups may have an increased energy requirement in order to prevent shortfalls in their diet. Adequate intake that is sport-specic must be suitable for the developmental stage of the child or adolescent athlete and include the appropriate intake of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Furthermore, the concurrent complementary nutritional needs and body composition requirements are crucial to support the growing body as well as performance in sport. A variety of body composition methods are available, including eld methods (e.g., anthropometrics, skinfold thickness, and bioelectrical impedance) as well as more accurate estimations from laboratory methods (e.g., multiple-component models, hydrodensitometry, and air-displacement plethysmography). However, the assumptions and utility of each of these methods must be considered with respect to a population of child or adolescent athletes using population-specic prediction equations. The considerations of both energy requirements and body composition recommendations for the child and adolescent athlete will be described in this chapter.
Child and adolescent athlete involvement in sport continues to grow worldwide. Nutritional needs for optimal athletic performance include ensuring adequate energy intake encompassing proper carbohydrates, proteins, and fats to meet the demands of a growing and maturing body. Student athletes of various ages, including young adolescents, and their advisors often have misconceptions with regard to proper nutrition that can support their involvement in sport.
